Porous articles have many uses. However, in some instances, a porous article does not have a hydrophilicity suitable for its desired use. For example, porous synthetic membranes desirable for filtering aqueous liquids are often hydrophobic.
The hydrophilicity of an article can be changed by chemical or physical reactions that coat the article with, or otherwise attach onto the article, a material having a hydrophilicity suitable for the article's intended use. But even when this type of treatment can be done, it can be difficult to effectively treat the pore interiors of the articles.